Dr Zoe Williams, RCGP Clinical Champion for Physical Activity and Lifestyle, has responded to research by the University of Oxford which claims that certain sports can cut the risk of dying prematurely by almost half.

She said: “Regular exercise, even moderate amounts, has been shown to significantly improve our patients’ physical health and mental wellbeing.

“Exercise – no matter what form it takes – shouldn’t be seen as chore and even half an hour of physical activity, spread across the day can make all the difference and this should be encouraged.

“Rates of obesity and diabetes are rising – costing the NHS billions each year – so it’s important that patients who aren’t already doing regular exercise try and incorporate some into their everyday life, so they can lead healthy lives for as long as possible.

“The College is committed to helping more and more of our patients lead healthier lifestyles, and earlier this year we announced Physical Activity and Lifestyle as a clinical priority, working to support GPs to encourage our patients to think about their physical and mental wellbeing and encourage healthier living.”

Further Information

Find out more about the College's Physical Activity and Lifestyle Clinical Priority, here.

The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 50,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.